OVERTURNED: council loses five-year battle against developer

A THAMES-side building will be turned into a classy club and restaurant after a five-year battle against council resistance.

Developer Timothy Anderson finally won his battle with Reading Borough Council for a licence to transform the run-down Caversham Bridge site into an exclusive nightspot.

Mr Anderson was granted the public entertainment licence he needs for the £500,000 project on appeal last week when Reading magistrates overturned an earlier council decision.

Riverbank, which is expected to open in June, will boast a 155 square-metre members-only live music club in the basement and an 80-seat restaurant with views over the Thames on the

ground floor.

A roof terrace, where customers will be able to sip an aperitif or two before dinner, is also on the plan.

Mr Anderson's solicitor Larissa Lowe, of Bournemouth firm Horsey Lightly Fynn, told the Evening Post: "It's very exciting for Reading to have premises such as that.

"Reading only caters for teenagers really if you go to the normal nightclubs. This proposal is for people who are slightly older and do not want to go hanging around with teenagers."

She added: "Most of the residents and councillors were fearful of any new project because there have been other venues in the area which caused

residents a lot of grief.

"So it's understandable that people are slightly worried about any new proposal but this is so different you cannot really compare."

Council spokesman David Millward admitted the district judge's decision had been a blow for the authority.

He stressed, however, that council bosses were "at least thankful" a number of restrictions have been attached to the licence.

These include a maximum capacity of 150 revellers at a time inside the club and a strict members-only policy.

In addition, membership is restricted to people who are over 25 years of age, and only those who have had their members' card for more than 48 hours will be allowed in.

Mr Millward said Mr Anderson must also have a register of members available for the police and council to view.

But he went on to say: "Despite these conditions, the council still believes that people leaving the club between midnight and 2am are likely to cause a disturbance to neighbours and this is the main reason the council refused the application."

Caversham councillor Steve Waite, who opposed the plan with local people said the venue would undoubtedly cause considerable traffic disruption because there are no parking facilities nearby.

He said: "It's OK for the judge to grant the licence because he does not have to live there, but it's the residents who are going to suffer."